Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-16
SMUGGLING BOGUS oPALs.
How Designing Mexican Took in q
Railroad Man-Ingenious Scheme,

How Designing Mexican Took in q
| Railroad Man-Ingenious Scheme.
| Among the little souvenirs which visitors
from abroad like to secure in visit to PaSo
del Norte none are more popular than opals.
In the first place the stone at its best is ex-
tremely handsome, and in the second place
there Is no difficulty dropping few of them
In ones vest pocket and smuggling them
across the frontier into the United States
Thus the visitor has not only the pleasure Of
securing gem at a low figure, but has also
the gratifying consciousness that he has done
something smart.
1t is said that this has been going ON for
some time, and has melted q number of sharp
Mexicans to the manufacture of imitation
opals, which they have sold in large quanti-
ties. Arailroad man engaged on the Southern
Pacific admitted to your correspondent few
days ago that he had been "taken inn by one
Of the willy vendors Of glass "gems." His
headquarters are at New Orleans, and in the
discharge of his duties be makes frequent
visits to Ell Paso. On one of these occasions
he was included to purchase four Of the so
called opak, for which he paid what would
have been about one-third Of their value had
they been genuine. He said:
II took them down to New Orleans to be
set in scarf pins, and when the jeweler saw
them he looked curious, stuck magnifier in
his eye and told me the things were glass
They were fine limitations and worth about
SL25 a gross / want to meet the Mexican
that sold 'em to me Just once before die"
1t is said that the trade in these bogus stones
In the little Mexican town has been extensive,
and the gentleman referred to states that
Ill
scheme is ingenious, for the purchaser, know
ing that he is breaking the law In smuggling
them over, IS sure to keep the suppcsititious
gems securely hidden until he gets we'll away
from Ell Paso. The usual mode of operation
is as follows: A dilapidated Mexican ap-
proaches the tourist and inquiries in broken
English whether he wants to buy any opals,
adding that he has some he mined himself a
box Of stones of different sizes is produced,
and the prices asked are about third less
than those of the stores. The vender is al
ways ready to add picturesque effect to the
swindle by narrating his adventures in get
ting the stones, and the meeting generally
terminates in purchase. OF course all his
wares are counterfeit.
The opal is the aristocrat of gems, and as
far as an expert is concerned it IS impossible
to make All imitation that will deceive. But
most people are familiar with the general
appearance only, and that is pretty well simu-
lated by the Mexican makers.
The police have reason to believe that the
bogus opals are made at Paso del Norte, and
are watching the establishment in which they
suspect the stones to be made. 1t is scarcely
necessary TO say that no established business
house has any connection with the matter.
The industry is a purely local one, for if it
were practiced where smuggling did not exist,
the purchaser would find out at the first jew
elry store that he had been victimized-
Houston Cor jewelers. Weekly.